


Don't Let Them See You Cry

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Thiam Prompts [57]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Future Fic, Good Boyfriend Liam Dunbar, Good Theo Raeken, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Canon, Secret Relationship, The Pack Finds Out, Theo Raeken Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-06 01:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15875799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: The pack comes back to town for the summer and Theo is having a hard time being around them because he knows a lot of them still don't trust him. Liam finally calls them on it.





	Don't Let Them See You Cry

**Author's Note:**

> For the anon on tumblr who wanted "Don't Let Them See You Cry" for Thiam for Bad Things Happen Bingo

It hurts more than Theo would like to admit, all the constant distrustful glances and muttering behind his back. He knows after everything he’s done that he deserves it. But he’s not that person anymore. He’s been working hard at being good, at being someone the pack can trust. Yet they don’t. Sure, they’ll call on him if they need help in a fight, but that’s just because he’s useful. He doubts they’d even do that if they had more people around that could help.

So he’s in this weird limbo where he’s supposed to stick around but he’s not actually part of the pack. And it fucking hurts. He hates how much it hurts. Sometimes he misses when he didn’t care. When it wouldn’t have mattered if they didn’t trust him. Not to his feelings, at least. He’d needed their trust once and he’d gotten it, but then he’d broken it so easily in his need for power. He can’t blame them for not wanting to trust him now.

The only person that’s even giving him a decent chance is Liam. They’ve saved each other’s lives enough times for that to have to mean something. Theo can tell. It means enough for Liam to allow Theo into his home and to stay under his roof. For him to let him around his parents. But all Theo has to do is have one conversation with Jenna Geyer to know he’d never hurt her. Hell, he’d probably fight anyone that tried.

He can see bits of Liam in her. In her strength and determination. In her kindness, and most of all in her blue eyes that seem to know far too much. Theo’s not sure exactly what she knows but it’s enough. His first night there she squeezes his shoulder and tells him that it doesn’t matter what he did in the past. The only thing she cares about is the person he is now. Theo only wishes other people could see it that way. Then again, he hasn’t wronged her the way he has so many other people.

Theo still has his doubts, even when he and Liam start dating. He’s waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Liam to wake up and realize who he’s been spending his time with and that he’s made a mistake. That never happens. If anything, Liam seems to pull him that much closer. As if he can sense Theo having doubts.

The thing is, Theo loves Liam. He loves him so much that it scares him sometimes. Because that means that Liam is something he can lose. That at any moment something can swoop in and take Liam away, or that Liam will find someone better for him. So Theo learns to grab onto these moments he has with Liam with greedy hands, knowing he might not always have them. Especially not when the pack finds out about them. Which Liam keeps saying will be the next time he sees them all, since he doesn’t want to drop the news over text or a phone call. Personally, Theo thinks that might be better. At least over the phone there wouldn’t be a risk of Stiles or Malia lashing out at him.

The time comes at a pack meeting a few weeks later. Theo is off to the side, watching as everyone else talks and laughs with each other. Scott, Stiles, Derek, Malia, and Lydia are all back in town for the summer. Which means there will probably be even more get-togethers like this. Theo knows Liam is happy about it. He’s missed his pack. Theo just wishes he was anywhere else.

He tenses when he hears Stiles scoff and speak louder than he really needs to, “What is he even doing here?”

“He lives here,” Liam says, as if it’s that simple. To him it probably is. Theo had tried to back out earlier but Liam had insisted that he come. Theo knows why. He probably plans to tell them tonight. But even so, he’s been keeping his distance from Theo most of the night, choosing to sit next to Scott and Mason. Theo knows logically that it’s because he’s missed Scott and wants to be near him. But the fear and doubt that almost always seem to be present in his mind are telling him something else.

Now he’s wishing he’d fought a little harder not to be here. It’s already been a long day. He’d been out trying to find a job for the summer but had gotten nowhere. Every time he entered someplace to grab an application he was given distrustful glances and told they weren’t hiring. He’d even had one lady tell him they were out of applications when there’d been a stack right next to her on the counter.

So it’s been a long and shitty day. The last thing he needs is to sit here and listen to this. He’s tired and he’s stressed and with everything that’s been going on his emotions are a little bit out of control. He just needs to last another half an hour and then he can make an excuse to leave without it looking suspicious.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Stiles says. “He doesn’t have to be down here.”

“Stiles…” Scott sighs.

“He’s right,” Malia says. “It’s not as if he’s pack, and this is a pack meeting.”

Theo ducks his head, hating the way the words make his eyes sting with tears.

_Don’t let them see you cry_ , he tells himself, taking a deep breath.

“He is pack,” Liam growls. “He’s _my_ pack. He’s my friend. No,” Liam’s eyes move towards him and Theo knows what’s going to happen. He wishes he could tell Liam no, that this probably isn’t the time. But it’s too late, Liam is stomping towards him and taking his hand in Theo’s, not taking his eyes off him as he speaks, his voice softer than before. “He’s my boyfriend. And I love him.”

Theo feels his breath leave him for a moment. They’ve never actually said the words before. “Liam…” he whispers.

Liam shakes his head, giving him a small smile, “I know you’re going to tell me I shouldn’t, but you’re wrong. I’ve seen how much you’ve changed, Theo. I know exactly who you are and what I’m getting into. And I love you.”

Theo turns his head away, feeling the tears he’s been holding back start to fall. He closes his eyes when Liam brings a hand up to brush the tears from his cheek. He leans in and places a kiss there, and then stays close, his eyes boring into Theo’s own when he looks back at him. “I know you’re scared, but you don’t have to be with me. I don’t expect anything from you, Theo. I just thought you should know.”

Theo nods, his hand moving to cover Liam’s own as he leans into his touch. He’s fully aware of the pack watching them but he doesn’t care. The only thing important right now is Liam. “I love you too, Liam.”

Liam smiles before leaning in and placing his lips to Theo’s in a soft and tender kiss. Theo can’t help but smile back and let out a happy laugh as he rests his forehead against Liam’s.

“What is even happening right now?” Stiles is asking. “Are we in some alternate universe?”

“No, they’re really together,” Mason says. “And they’re happy. I know I might not have been Theo’s biggest fan before but I can see how much of an effort he’s putting in. He deserves a chance. And if you all can accept Peter and Nolan then I think it’s only fair that you accept Theo too.”

“You’re right,” Scott says, “Theo?”

Theo turns his head to see all eyes on them, but he focuses on Scott. “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry if we haven’t exactly been the most welcoming or accepting of you,” Scott says. “But I’m hoping we can change that. If Liam and Mason trust you then I think the rest of us can.”

“Speak for yourself,” Malia mutters. She sighs when Scott fixes her with a long look. “I mean, I guess we can try. But if you go evil again…”

“I won’t,” Theo tells her.

“But if you do, we’re going to stop you.” Stiles says.

“I’ll let you,” Theo says, “I’m not going to try to make excuses for what I did. I don’t have any. But I never want to be that guy again. I want to be someone worthy of your trust.”

“You are,” Liam tells him.

Theo looks down at him with a small smile, “I don’t think I am. Not yet. I still have a lot of issues to work through. But I’m going to try to get there Liam.”

“Huh,” Stiles says, drawing Theo’s attention back to him. He’s staring between Theo and Liam in confusion. “Weirdly enough, I believe you. I mean, I still don’t really like you all that much. But that actually seemed genuine.”

Theo smiles and rests his head against Liam’s, “That’s good enough for me.”

He was telling Liam the truth when he said he still has a lot of issues to work though. He knows he does. But for the first time in a while he feels a little bit of hope. Maybe existing here isn’t going to be impossible. Not with Liam by his side and a pack that is actually going to give him another chance. He’s going to make sure he proves he deserves it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day. ♥  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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